Decades of excavation brings Han Dynasty back to life

Fifty years after excavations began at the Mawangdui Han Tombs, new technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and big data are bringing the ancient society to life and giving people a closer and more immersive interaction with history, archaeological experts said.

Initial excavations at the Mawangdui tombs in Hunan province took place between 1972 and 1974, and represent one of China's most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

The tombs contain the well-preserved remains of the Marquis Dai's wife, Lady Xin Zhui, who was buried more than 2, 000 years ago during the Western Han Dynasty(206 BC-AD 24).

The tombs have offered up 26, 937 artifacts so far, according to Hunan Museum in Changsha.

Unearthed artifacts include Xin Zhui's remains, as well as lacquerware, textiles and bamboo and silk manuscripts.

Of the 1, 017 lacquerware pieces recovered, 869 are still intact. Of the textiles—mainly silk and hemp—only 212 of the 24, 490 pieces unearthed remain intact. There are also 1, 430 bamboo and silk manuscripts items, including silk books and paintings, wooden tablets and bamboo slips, the museum said.

More than 300 experts from home and abroad gathered in Changsha, capital of Hunan, during a recent forum to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the discovery.

A set of books detailing the latest academic findings was published during the forum, and the Mawangdui Research Institute was established. Hunan Museum also signed cooperation agreements with six institutions and universities to better use technology in promoting the culture of Mawangdui.

Mao Weiming, governor of Hunan, said that among the discoveries were the world's oldest existing astronomical work, the world's earliest military map, the earliest silk fabric combining printing and painting, and the lightest, thinnest plain gauze single garment in the world.

Currently, more than 4, 000 scholars and experts are studying the Mawangdui Han Tombs, and the cumulative number of visitors exceeds 100 million, with average annual visits of over 4 million in recent years, he said at the opening ceremony of the forum.

The popularity of Mawangdui indicates that people are increasingly impressed by cultural relics, which allow them to better understand and respect history. At the same time, this has promoted the development of archaeology and the popularity of cultural relics and culture, he said.

Li Qun, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said the tombs demonstrate the achievements of the Han Dynasty(206 BC-AD 220)in economics, philosophy, culture, art, medicine, and science and technology. It is a treasure of world civilization.

He said that archaeological research at the tombs serves as an exemplary model of multidisciplinary collaboration and remains a major academic subject of interest to scholars in China and abroad.

It is important to continue research, focusing primarily on areas such as bamboo and silk manuscripts, philosophy, art and traditional Chinese medicine, to explore historical culture and ancient wisdom, he said.

Duan Xiaoming, head of Hunan Museum, said the museum has completed digitally collecting high-definition information for 948 artifacts, including 285 3D models and 7, 779 images. Over the next year, the work of digitally collecting the artifacts will be completed, he said.

Hunan Museum intends to publish a list of books on its findings and to cooperate with universities and research institutions globally, strengthening digital presentation and promotion, he said.

The Art of Life:Multimedia Exhibition of Mawangdui Han Culture, jointly organized by Hunan Museum, the Digital Library of China and Harvard FAS CAMlab in the United States, opened at the museum on June 8 and runs until February.

The exhibition uses technologies such as 3D and other multimedia technologies to give visitors a theatrical and immersive experience of the life of people in the Han Dynasty.

Eugene Y. Wang, an art professor at Harvard University and one of the curators of the exhibition, said the significance of the tombs is not just that they represent social life during the Han Dynasty, but more importantly embody an illusory world that can be showcased through multimedia.

Bringing cultural relics to life showcases the social scene of ancient times and digs deep into the legendary world behind them, he said.

Yu Yanjiao, director and researcher at Hunan Museum's Mawangdui Han Tombs and Collection Research Exhibition Center, said the quantity of unearthed artifacts from the tombs is massive, with a broad interdisciplinary scope.

There are still many unsolved mysteries despite 50 years of excavation, requiring extensive research by scholars through multidisciplinary collaboration and the use of technology, she added.

Liu Zhao, director of the Center for Research on Chinese Excavated Classics and Paleography at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the excavated bamboo and silk manuscripts contain 130, 000 characters, and much work remains to explain their artistic value.

"Although 50 years is a long time in a researcher's career, it's a very short time from the perspective of overall academic development, "Liu said.

He encouraged researchers from around the world, especially young people, to join the efforts. Liu believes that with continuous and further exploration, coupled with the assistance of new technologies, future studies will yield more results.